Golf club



Aug. 31, 1937. PESTER 2,091,794

GOLF CLUB Filed July 50, 1932 Patented Aug. 31, 1 937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE com own Ray Poster, Grayslake, 111. Application July so, 1932, s -m No. 826,309

This invention relates to golf clubs in general,

fmmeans for pivotally supporting the headso as to make the head movable at various angles relative to the shaft and thereby make the golf club convertible for various uses, such as a putter,

dfiligilng iron,-mashie, niblick and other types of 15 c A further object of the invention is to provide proved golf shaft which has a part telescopically engaging another part of the shaft so that.

25 the handle may be telescoped to make it conform with the type of club for which thehead is set. A still further object is to provide a golf club of improved construction having new and novel means for shifting the head" to the stem or 30 hosel of the golf club head, which is provided withnew and improved means for telescoping the handle, and which is so constructed and arranged that the head may be released for pivotal movement upon turning movement of the 35 handle, and which is also provided with improved means for locking the handle relative to the stem or hosel so that the handle will not become freed from the hosel when the club head comes into contact, with the ball during normal usage of the 40 club. Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a select- 45 ed embodiment of the invention and the views therein areas follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail elevation of the improved club. u121g. 2 is a detail sectional view' of the improved c1 50 Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view through the handle of the club on the line H of Fig. 2. v p Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the manner in which one part of the handle is tele- 55 scoped relative to another part of the handle,

and for length adjustment of the club andalso showing locking means for holding the shaft in locked adjusted position.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2 showing the manner in which the 5 blade of the club head may be adjusted at t various angles.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through a part of j the head on the line 6 6"of Fig. '5 showing the manner in which the club head blade is assem- 10 bled and how'the blade is locked in position. 7

Fig. 'I is'a detail bottom plan view of the club head having marks carried thereon adapted to be brought into/registration so that the user may .know at which angle the blade is set and may so set the blade.

Fig,- 8 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of golf club head which is capable of being swung on its pivot to both sides of the axial or longitudinal center line of the shaft and thereby make the club applicable for use. for either right-handed or left-handed users.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing a modified locking arrangement for lockingthe shaft to the club head to prevent turning movement thereofdurlng use. I

The, particular golf club herein shown has a shaft III which is provided with a threaded stem II at its lower end for engagement with the hosel I2 of the golf club head l3.

The blade ll of t the club head is pivotally mounted relative to the lower end-or heel l5 of-the head and is provided with an annular collar or extension it which is preferably integrally connected with a serrated or toothed spur or wheel ll. An integral extension or collar I8 is fixed to the member i1 and extends through an opening providedin the heel of the head at the bottom of the and into the blade of the head as clearly shown in Fig. 6.. The blade of the Club head is there- 'by pivotally movable relative to the hosel.

. The hosel is hollow and can'ies'a pin 22 which is provided withspaced teeth '23 at its lower end which teeth are adapted for engagement with the Y serrations or spaces between the teeth on the spur or member II. The pin is slidable in the hosel. its sli'dable movement being limited by a pin 24 passing through the side walls of the hosel and through a longitudinal-slot 25, Fig. pm-

vided in the pin. The pin preferably has a re duced portion 26 provided intermediate its ends for the accommodation of a spring 21 so that the pin 22 is normally urged upwardly tending to 5 urge the teeth 23 on the pin 22 out of engagement with the teethon the spur or member l1. The shaft I0 is provided with an extension 28 carrying a contacting end member 29 which contacting memberis adapted to move the pin 22 downwardly against the tension of the spring 21 and into engagement with the teeth on the member I1.

The blade I is thus pivotally connected to the hosel l2 and locked in position by screwing the shaft down into the hosel. When the shaft is screwed into the hosel, as shown in Fig. 2, the extension 28 and contacting end 29 willjbe forced to move downwardly and push the pin 22 downwardly against the tension of the spring 21 and ,20 bring the teeth 23 into engagement with the teeth on the member H. The blade is then rigidly connected to the hosel and the hosel is then rigidly connected with the shaft. The threads II on the shaft are so cut or formed so that the 25 shaft will tend to bind when the club head strikes the ball and thereby prevent the shaft from becoming loose during impact.

When it is desired to set the blade of the club to vary the angle thereof so as to make the blade conform with the angles of different clubs, the

shaft is given a twist to unscrew it a predetermined distance out of the hosel. As the shaft is being twisted and'unscrewed, thereby moving the contacting member 28 away from the top of the pin 22,- the spring 21 will urge the pin 22 upwardly and cause disengagement of the teeth 23 from the teeth on the spun member l1. The blade is thus free to be turned on its pivot 2| so that the blade may be set at the angle desired.

In order to assist the user in knowing at which position the club head should be set to. conform with the type of club he would ordinarily use, a plurality of notches 30 are cut in the bottom of the hosel at the heel of the club. Each mark 30 is provided with a number 3| so that when the notch and its eorrespbnding number are brought into registrationv with another notch or marker 32, the angle willbe of such a pitch as to conform with the club of that number. In other words, if the user would desire to use a driving iron, he would move the blade so that the marker 32 would come into registration with the mark 30 designated by the numeral 1. If the ,user desired to set the angle of the club to conform with a mashie, he would move theblade of the club so that the marker 32 would come into registration with the notch designated as number 5, 5 being the number of an iron ,golf club known as a mashie. The head is therefore free to be turned conform with any club desired.

It is well known that the length of the shaft of a golf club depends upon the; type of club. In other words, a putter has the shortest handle, while a No. 1 driving iron, in the iron clubs, would have the longest handle. The wooden driver, however, has the longest handle and while no woodenhead is shown herein, the invention applies to wooden clubs as well as to iron clubs, the manner of attaching the hoseland shaft to wooden clubs being the same as that described relative to the iron clubs. Therefore, in order to vary the length of the shaft to conform to the type of club for which the angle of the blade is set, means have been provided to adjust the downwardly and lock on its pivot to change the angle of the blade to shaft In of the club. In actual practice-it has been found that the golf club will operate more successfully if the shaft is made of tempered hollow steel. The shaft I0 comprises an upper sleeve 33 which slidingly receives the upper end 34 of the tempered steel shaft III. The sleeve 33 is slotted, as indicated at 35, and is provided with a turned lip 36 at its lower end, Fig. 4. This lip preferably extends about one-half the circumference of the sleeve 33 and is adapted to be brought, into registration with circumferentially spaced grooves 31 provided in the upper end of the shaft 10. The lower end of the sleeve 33, a predetermined distance above the lip 36, is threaded as indicated at 38. A nut 39 threadedly engages the threads 38, and this nut has an inclined or tapered inner surface 40 for engagement with theexternal edge ll of the sleeve for the purpose of locking the lip 36 into a proper notch 31. When the nut is loosened, as shown in Fig. 4; the sleeve 33 is free to be moved longi tudinally relative to the shaft l0. When the lip 36 is directly opposite a notch 31, the nut 39 is screwed to tightened po ition, causing the inclined surface 40 to en age the contacting edge 4! and press the free spring end of the sleeve e lip into a groove 31.

To prevent the slee e 33 from moving rotatively relative to the upper end 34 of the shaft ID, a groove 42 is provided in the shaft and this groove is adapted to receive a tongue 44 struck inwardly from the sleeve 33, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. g

Leather wrapping or other suitable material 45 may be wound around the sleeve 33, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This wrapping, however, ex- I tends only down as far as a point indicated by the numeral 46 so that movement of the nut 39 will not be restricted orhampered by the wrapping.

The above description is relative to a club which is either for right-hand or left-hand use, the threads ll being made or formed so as to effect tightening movement when the club head strikes the ball and not become loosened, the pitch of the threads depending upon the type of club, whether it be for the right or left hand. However, the club may be so constructed as to make it applicable for use for either right-.handers or left-handers.

' As shown in Fig. 8, the edges 41 and 48 of the blade l4, along the bottom of the blade, are rounded thereby allowing the club to be swung at an angle to the axial center line of the shaft and on each side thereof. If the club is to be made universal, that is, applicable for use for;

either right-handers or left-handers, means 49, Fig. 9, are provided for lockingthe shaft to the hosel to permit engagement or disengagement of the pin 22 with the member l1. The locking means may comprise an interiorly threaded nut 50 which engages exterior threads 5! and '52 provided on the exterior surfaces of the shaft l0 and hosel I 2 respectively. The threads on the nut are opposite to the threads I] on the shaft, thereby preventing loosening movement of the shaft when the club head strikes the ball. The nut is adapted to be screwed up so that it becomes disengaged with either the shaft or the hosel.

The invention provides a universal club adapted to be adjusted to conform with different types of clubs thereby making a single club answer the purpose of several clubs. Furthermore, the invention provides a universal golf club which is applicable for left-handers as well as right-handare. The use of the present club will eliminate the necessity of a caddybag and the carrying of many clubs. The shaft maybe telescoped to its shortest size and may be readily inserted in. an ordinary traveling grip or case. The club head may be carried in a small case no larger than a cam new for carrying field glasses. As the wooden clubs are constructed the same as the iron clubs, as far as thepresent invention is concerned, only two heads and one shaft need ever be carried. The present club is emcient in use, is strong and durable in construction, and may be readily and economically manufactured.

i'lhanges may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following-claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A golf club comprising a head having a hollow stem and a-blade, means for pivoting the blade about an axis parallel to the heel line of the striking face to permit adjustment thereof comprising a circular toothed member rigid with the blade and extending into the hollow stem, 8. pin arranged inside of the stem having an angularly' disposed toothed face adapted to be brought into engagement with said toothed member, means arranged inside of the stem for normally urging the pin out of engagement. with said toothed member, a shaft threadedly engaging the hollow member and adapted to force the pin into engagement with the toothed member against the urging action of said means when said shaft is screwed a predetermined distance into the stem, said means urging the pin out of engagement with the toothed memberwhen the shaft is unscrewed a predetermined distance to permit adjustment of I the blade.

2. A golf club comprising a. head having a hollow stem, a blade pivoted to the head, said blade 'being so pivoted as to permit rotation of said blade about an axis parallel to the heel line of said blade, a circular toothed member'integral with the blade and extending into the hollow stem, a toothed pin arranged inside, of the stem and adapted to be brought into engagement with said toothed member, means arranged inside of the stem for normally urging the pin out of engagement with said toothed member, a shaft threadedly engaging the hollow member and adapted to force the pin into engagement with the 'toothed'member when said shaft is screwed a.

I predetermineddistance into the stem, said means 'ing a socket formed therein and a hosei integrally I formed with said head, said hosel having a hollow stem therein, and a blade pivoted to said head within. said socket, said blade having opposed striking faces thereon and being pivoted for rotation about its own longitudinal axis to vary the inclination of the blade and make the club am plicable for both right hand and left hand use, a circular serrated member integral with the blade and extending into the hollow stem of the hosel, means extending from said member for securing the blade from axial withdrawal from the hosel, a pin arranged inside said hollow stem for reciprocation therein and having an angularly disposed serrated face adapted to engage the serratime of said circular member, a slot in said pin,

- a cross-piece secured to said head and passing 4. A golf club comprising a. shaft, a hollow hosel larly serrated projection extending from one end thereof, the axis of the said projection being parallel to the sole line of the blade, the said hollow hosei having screw threads adjacent one end thereof, and an integral socket at the other end thereof surrounding and holding said projection for pivotal movement, a pin mounted for slidable movement axially of the hosel, said pin having teeth at one end thereof engaging the serrations of the blade projection to lockthe blade in any preselected position, spring means for urging the pin out of engagement with said serrations, screw threads on the end of the shaft engaging the said threaded portion of the hosel and acting to cause the shaft to engage said pin and urge it into contact with the serrations of the blade projection against the action of the spring means.

' RAY PETER.

- and a blade, said blade having an integral annu- 

